Drudge shines for Kingsmen

October 23, 2008|MATT KOPSEA Tribune Staff Writer

MISHAWAKA -- There isn't anything Brandon Drudge wouldn't do to help out the Penn High football team. "In addition to running and catching the ball, we're also counted to help out with pass blocking," said the senior running back. "The (offensive) line does a good job of securing the quarterback, but they sometimes they need a little extra help. "Although it's one of the hardest things we have to do, I don't mind getting knocked around every now and then. It just makes you tougher and helps you become a better all-around player. We're all brothers out there, so we'll do whatever it takes to help make us a better team." The 6-foot, 180-pound Drudge has added shine to Penn's Gold Rush offense, scoring 14 touchdowns, rushing for 868 yards, and catching a team-high 12 passes for 152 yards. Drudge hopes to add on to these totals Friday night when Penn (6-3) welcomes Elkhart Central (2-6) to Freed Field for the opening round of the Class 5-A Sectional 2 playoffs. Used primarily as a backup last season, Drudge labored in the off-season to prove he was worthy of being on the field for an extended period in 2008. "I did a lot of training on my own, as well as in the weight room to get myself prepared," Drudge said prior to a recent practice. "Playing 7-on-7, I worked on not only becoming not only strong physically, but mentally as well. I also kicked it up a notch by improving my quickness and my overall vision of the field. If I was going to be successful, I had to be able to find all the openings and make it tough for opponents to bring me down." He certainly made life miserable for Adams last Friday by rambling for 128 yards and five touchdowns. "Brandon has certainly made the most of his senior season," said Penn coach Cory Yeoman. "He not only runs hard with the ball, but he also does a great job of finding the open holes. We ask a lot out of our running backs, and Brandon does everything very well, whether it's catching passes out of the backfield or blocking for one of his teammates. "He has a great work ethic, which is why the others all look up to him. He is one of the main reasons we have been able to bounce back after getting off to a rough start (1-3)." Losing three of the first four games didn't prove to be a road block for Drudge and company as they battled back to win another Northern Indiana Conference title. "No one liked losing those games more than I did," Drudge added. "It just meant we had to work that much harder in practice to get better. If anything, I believe we became a closer team. We realized that if we were going to turn things around that we had to have each other's back."Staff writer Matt Kopsea: mkopsea@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6315